Denture retainers for upper dentures



N 1966 E. w. TOWN 3,284,901

DENTURE RETAINERS FOR UPPER DENTURES Filed June 24, 1964 INVENTOI? EDWARD W TOW/V Bra- 13W;

ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,284,901 DENTURE RETAINERS FOR UPPER DENTURES Edward W. Town, 320 Chester Pike, Norwood, Pa. Filed June 24, 1964, Ser. No. 377,734 Claims. (Cl. 322) This invention relates to retainers for upper dentures.

It has heretofore been proposed, to provide dental cushions interposed between the denture and the hard palate and in contact along the gums on theinner and outer faces thereof.

One cushion of this type is shown in my prior US. Patent No. 2,292,513, which has generally proven satisfactory and which comprises a piece of sheet material impregnated with a non-soluble composition which is plastic but does not melt at body temperatures.

Cushions of this type have shortcomings, however, in that there is a tendency of the cushion to cause the denture to move forward and out of position for biting and cutting by engagement of the cusps of the upper teeth against corresponding cusps of the lower teeth. This shifting occurs because of the engagement of the margins of the cushion with outer portions of the gums or with crest portions of the gums.

The denture cushions heretofore available, also, by reason of the shifting which occurs did not provide as strong a retention of the denture in position because of the tendency of air to enter at the rear edge of the denture upon displacement. The movement of the soft palate also facilitated such air entry in many cases.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a denture retainer which has a cushioning action and which provides a post dam at the rear of the denture for improving the suction gripping of the denture.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a denture retainer having a post dam strip and a retaining portion therefor with which an improved action is obtained, free from any tendency to shift the denture While providing a cushion and a seal.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a retainer for upper dentures in which a transverse dam strip is employed for retention contiguous to the rear edge of the denture and which provides rear sealing.

It is a further object of the persent invention to provide a retainer for upper dentures in which a post dam strip is employed with simple but effective positioning means.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a denture retainer of material capable of conforming to the roof of the mouth and the interior of an upper denture which will retain the denture in a comfortable and effective condition.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a retainer for dentures with a post dam strip and positioning means therefor and in which the strip may engage the soft palate or the hard palate, as required for a particular user, but does not displace the denture, which serves as a cushion, and which enhances the suction retention of the denture in use.

Other objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the description and claims.

The nature and characteristic features of the invention will be more readily understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part thereof, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view as seen from above of a denture having the denture retainer of the present invention in place therein;

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a denture retainer removed from the denture and in flattened condition; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line 44 of FIG. 3.

It should, of course, be understood that the description and drawings herein are illustrative merely, and that various modifications and changes can be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, in FIG. 1 an upper denture 10 of conventional type is shown, made from synthetic plastic or the like and molded in the customary manner from a cast taken directly from the mouth. The denture 10 has a rim 11 terminating at an edge 12, with the interior thereof complemental to the interior of the mouth of the user and with a groove 13 engaging the gums of the user. The denture 10 has a central section 14 recessed to accommodate the central portion of the hard palate. The denture 10 has teeth 15 mounted therein in the customary manner and extending from the opposite side to that in which the groove 13 occurs. The rear margins 16 of the denture 10, depending upon the particular individual, may be in overlapped relation to, or forwardly of, the junction of the soft palate and the hard palate.

In dental cushions heretofore employed, it was customary to interpose a cushion which extended in covering relation to the gums at their meeting locations with the denture extending along the inner and outer surfaces the cushion being continuous or if provided with a central aperture having a rear connection to prevent the separation of the cushion ends at the rear.

In accordance with the present invention the denture retainer 19 preferably includes a transversely extending post dam strip 20 of a length to extend completely across the rear of the denture 10 and with the end edges 21 thereof flared slightly and in closely spaced relation to the edge 12, completely closing the denture 10 when in place forwardly of the rear margin 16. The strip 20 preferably between its ends 21 has a slightly curved and concaved rearmost marginal edge 22.

The denture retainer 19 is located and held in position on the denture 10 and in the month by a U-shaped strip 24 with an outer edge 25, and is connected to the post darn strip 20 inwardly of the end edges 21. The outer edge 25 of the strip 24 is spaced inwardly from the ends of the post dam strip 20 about one third of the distance from the end edge 21 to the center of the strip 20.

The strip 24 is of substantially uniform width and a central ovoid opening 26 is provided substantially embracing the recessed portion 14 of the denture 10. The termination of the outer edge 25 inwardly of the end edges 21, so that in use it is spaced inwardly from the crest portions of the gums, provides a structure which holds the post dam strip 20 at the desired location so that any displacement of the denture 10 in use is avoided.

The denture retainer 19 can be made of any preferred material. One suitable material is that described in my prior Patent No. 2,292,513. Other suitable and preferable materials are disclosed in my prior application filed January 21, 1963, Serial No. 252,878. The latter materials include a laminated material which comprises a stiffened base fabric lamina such as a sheet of woven or knitted textile fabric. The base fabric can be cotton fiannel. The base fabric preferably has in adherent relation thereto, an unstiffened lamina of cotton flannel or the like with a napped or fibrous face, or an unstiffened lamina of cotton linters or loose cotton fibers in a layer. The unstiifened lamina is adherent to the first lamina.

In use the denture retainer 19 is placed in position in the denture 10 with the post dam strip 20 having its rear edge 22 at or very close to the rear edge 16 of the denture 10 and with the retaining portion 24-extending forwardly when the denture and denture retainer 19 are inserted in the mouth. The stiffening material is softened by body heat so that the post dam strip 20 will conform to the contiguous portion of the palate and also the interior transverse portion of the denture 10 with which it is in engagement.

The retaining portion 24 will also conform in shape to the interior of the denture 10 and particularly the hard palate and to the denture 10 with its edge 25 spaced from the deeper portions of the grooves 13 with which the gum is in engagement. An improved suction action is provided with adequate cushioning.

When the post darn strip 20 is of laminated fabric, as referred to above, the cushioning lamination absorbs and holds saliva and this further enhances the sealing action along the strip 20.

I claim:

1. A denture retainer for artificial dentures comprising sheet material With a stiffening additive which will soften but not melt at body temperature having a post darn strip with a rear marginal edge for disposition within a denture along the rear margin thereof and having end terminal edges and a retaining portion therefor extending forwardly therefrom and connected thereto inwardly of the end terminal edges about one third of the distance in wardly therefrom to the center.

2. A denture retainer as defined in claim 1 in which said retaining portion and said strip have a central ovoid opening for disposition centrally of the denture.

3. A denture retainer as defined in claim 1 in which said sheet material is a laminated fabric having a lamina of a base fabric in which the stiffening additive is carried and a lamina with a fibrous cushion face.

4. A denture retainer as defined in claim 1 in which the rear marginal edge of said strip is concave.

5. A denture retainer for artificial dentures comprising sheet material with a stiffening additive which will soften but not melt at body temperature and having a post darn strip with a rear concave marginal edge for disposition within a denture along the rear margin thereof and having end terminal edges terminating short of the rim of the denture, and a retaining portion for said strip extending therefrom, said retaining portion having an outer marginal edge for disposition inwardly of the denture rim extending to an edge of said strip opposite said rear marginal edge and connected thereto inwardly of said end terminal edges about one third of the distance inwardly therefrom to the center, said retaining portion and said strip having a central ovoid opening for central disposition in the denture.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1948 Solomon 128157 1/ 1954 Hollander et al 32.2 

1. A DENTURE RETAINER FOR ARTIFICIAL DENTURES COMPRISING SHEET MATERIAL WITH A STIFFENING ADDITIVE WHICH WILL SOFTEN BUT NOT MELT AT BODY TEMPERATURE HAVING A POST DAM STRIP WITH A REAR MARGINAL EDGE FOR DISPOSITION WITHIN A DENTURE ALONG THE REAR MARGIN THEREOF AND HAVING END TERMINAL EDGES AND A RETAINING PORTION THEREFOR EXTENDING FORWARDLY THEREFROM AND CONNECTED THERETO INWARDLY OF THE END TERMINAL EDGES ABOUT ONE THIRD OF THE DISTANCE IN WARDLY THEREFROM TO THE CENTER. 